


Broken Strings

by Icka M Chif (mischif)



Category: Trolls (2016), Trolls World Tour (2020)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Family Drama, Gen, no beta we die like men, post-World tour
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-15
Updated: 2020-05-15
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:41:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,091
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24190714
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mischif/pseuds/Icka%20M%20Chif
Summary: "You remind me." King Thrash said, looking at Branch. "Of me, at your age."
Comments: 28
Kudos: 156





	Broken Strings

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Eastofthemoon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eastofthemoon/gifts).



"You look like..." King Thrash trailed off, staring into nothingness. 

Branch said nothing, waiting patiently. The old king was often lost in his thoughts, his mind wandering back in another time or place. He didn't mind. People tended to give the King space, and Branch had figured out pretty early on that if he hung out with the old King while Poppy visited and sang with Barb, he got some welcome peace and quiet. 

Rock Trolls were LOUD. 

"You remind me." King Thrash said again, speaking slowly. "Of me, at your age."

"I'll take that as a compliment." Branch grinned, kind of flattered despite himself. The stories he’d heard of a younger King Thrash had been of an excellent king, and a crazy rocker. 

King Thrash hummed and patted Branch's hand. "I did a bad thing, back then. It was a needed thing, but it was a bad thing." 

"It couldn't have been that bad." Branch protested. Not from what he’d heard anyway. Maybe partied a little too hard, or something like that.

"Oh, it was." King Thrash's gaze turned distant. "After the Strings were separated, the other leaders got together and discussed if the Pop Trolls should be punished for trying to take over all music."

Branch hissed through his teeth, glancing at Barb, who was talking animatedly to Poppy. He knew that there had been some talk about the same happening to the Rock Trolls, but it'd been shot down. Poppy had been the loudest voice protesting it. 

Poppy had also pointed out that if anyone should be punished, it should be her for destroying the strings. And if they were going to punish Barb, they should punish her too. In light of punishing a third of the Troll Rulers, there had been a decision to not do so, but Branch still worried about retaliation, which is why he travelled with Poppy when she visited friends. 

A little paranoia never hurt. 

"No decision was made." King Thrash looked down at his hands. "On our way home, my wife, child, and I were captured by Bergens. They wanted to eat us. Make them happy."

"I'm sorry." Branch murmured. The Bergens were their friends now, but there were still times that he forgot and panicked. 

"I told them it wouldn't work." King Thrash flexed his hands, staring at his wrinkled grey skin. "We were too pale, not bright enough, we wouldn't make them happy. But I knew where Trolls that would make them happy were. And I'd show them, in exchange for our freedom." 

His throat suddenly dry, Branch swallowed. 

“I never told anyone this.” King Thrash looked at Branch, and he could see that the King was actually looking at him, and not one of his memories. “But you... “ He trailed off, lips moving silently, as if struggling to find the words. 

“Told anyone what?” Branch finally whispered, gently prodding, an uneasy feeling in his gut. Being a ruler wasn't easy, it meant making the hard decisions sometimes.

And, as he was learning with Poppy, living with them afterwards.

"I took the Bergens to the Troll Tree, where the Pop Trolls lived, led by their thief of a King." King Thrash’s mouth curved up in a smile, but it was a bitter expression. "The perfect solution. The Pop Trolls were punished for stealing the Strings, and the Bergens left my Rock Trolls alone." 

Branch's stomach twisted in horror and shock. The entire reason why his family was eaten, all that suffering and misery, it was because of _King Thrash_.

He wanted scream, wanted to hate the old man, but he couldn't. Even as he was horrified, he understood protecting your people a little too well to do so. If given the choice between Trolls and Bergens who had eaten them for generations, Branch would still sacrifice the Bergens to save the Trolls in a heartbeat. 

He might not sleep as easily about the decision before they made friends with the Bergens, but he’d still do it. 

"They let me go." King Thrash reached over and patted Branch's hand, their skin nearly the same shade of dusty grey. "They kept my wife and child though. My dear tough Rosie." 

Wait. Wait wait wait wait.... "Rosie?"

"Rosiepuff." King Thrash's smile turned distant and fond. "She hated that name. My sharp lovely Rose. Mess with her, get the thorns." 

Branch glanced between King Thrash and his daughter, the rosy-hued _Barb_ , his eyes going wide as a suspicion started to form.

"What happened to her?" He asked. "What happened to Rosie?" 

"Eaten." King Thrash was fading now, his hand sliding away from Branch's, resting uselessly in his lap. "My fault. I never should have..." He trailed off, mumbling to himself. 

Branch stared in shock, taking in King Thrash's features, the narrow points of the ears, the sharp slope of his nose. The same sharp slant that Barb had...

That Branch had as well, unlike the more rounded features that the majority of the Pop Trolls had.

Grandma never sung along to the Pop songs the rest of the Trolls sang as he grew up, and they'd always lived just a little bit on the outskirts from everyone else to stay away from the noise. It’d been known but not talked about that she wasn’t from the same place as everyone else, although she’d adapted very well. 

The songs she'd sung in the private of their house had been different, sharper. Branch’s favourite had been the slow heartfelt ballads, the two of them singing together, the faint wail of the guitar so different from the catchy bouncy beat of everyone else's.

Grandma’s name was Rosiepuff. 

"... Grandpa?" Branch whispered, the knowledge seeping into his bones as if he'd always known it. 

His Grandfather, who had consigned the Pop Trolls to generations of genocide, in revenge for the Pop Trolls stealing all the music. 

His Grandfather, who was a good King to his people, and much loved, even if he didn’t remember everyone’s names anymore. 

"Hm?" King Thrash looked over at him, then blinked as if he'd never seen Branch before. "You look like me." The old King mused, then smiled sweetly at Branch, as if Branch was someone he knew and loved. 

Branch hiccuped, his breath catching in his chest. He curled towards the King, his forehead resting on his old Troll's arm. His Grandfather patted Branch's head, fingers running clumsily through his hair, humming an old familiar love ballad under his breath as he did so. 

“Yeah.” Branch agreed, his voice cracking. “I do.” 

-fin-

**Author's Note:**

> Was minding my business in chat when:  
>  **East:** _trolls thought....did the other trolls, or maybe even Barb's dad, send the bergens after the pop trolls to try to wipe them out so they wouldn't steal the strings again?_  
>  **Icka:** _Oooooo_  
>  _Bergens move to the Pop Troll tree, means they no longer bother the other trolls._  
>  _Pop trolls are now trapped, can’t take over music._  
>  _It’s an elegant solution_  
>  _... for everyone other than the Pop trolls._  
>  **East:** _and hey fair punishment for the pop's trolls arrogance_
> 
> -SHE DIDN'T EXPECT THE FAMILY CONNECTION. HAH! (but seriously, we've been theorising the Pop troll who stole the strings was either Peppy or his father, which is why he feels guilty enough to hide the string and the knowledge of other trolls from Poppy)


End file.
